The Vancouver Aquarium team has been busy getting ready for spring break fun! From March 11 to 26, we’re extending our hours from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and adding more programs and shows (view the schedule). Here are some not-to-be-missed experiences at the Aquarium this spring break.

Vancouver’s best nature show is better than ever! The Vancouver Park Board Heron Cam—installed last year—has now been improved to provide better and clearer close-up views of the Pacific great blue herons.

The heron cam at vancouver.ca/HeronCam takes viewers inside the nests of one of North America’s largest urban great blue heron colonies until the end of the summer breeding season. These herons are a species at risk in Canada and the Stanley Park colony is a vital part of the south coast population. One-third of great blue herons worldwide live around the Salish Sea.

Back by popular demand, Inside Vancouver has relaunched the “Featured Attraction of the Week” series. Each Monday we’ll be featuring a different Vancouver attraction and will be giving away free tickets to our readers. To be eligible, all you have to do is post a comment.

But every so often a truly exceptional visitor from mother nature wanders into our urban jungle. Here’s a list of the top 5 wildlife sightings in downtown Vancouver in recent memory.

Coyote devours Stanley Park’s squirrels: Open the Vancouver Sun today and on page A3 you’ll find a photo of a coyote with a squirrel in its mouth. This picture wasn’t taken in the remote backcountry – It was taken at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park. While coyotes are normally nocturnal, this one apparently enjoys the spotlight. Experts encourage anyone who spots the animal to yell and frighten it away.

Snowy owl spotted on West End balcony: Earlier this week, someone snapped an iPad picture of a rare snowy owl perched on the edge of her balcony in Vancouver’s West End. The giant owls with downy white feathers live in the arctic tundra and occasionally winter in the Lower Mainland, but normally in more remote areas near Boundary Bay.

It’s that time of year again. Thousands of bald eagles have returned to the regions surrounding Vancouver as part of their annual migration south. For wildlife lovers, it’s a rare chance to see the iconic birds in the wild – flying, feeding on salmon and roosting in trees.

Several local sites have earned reputations for fabulous eagle watching. Grab your camera and binoculars and check out these eagle hot spots. Just remember to always maintain a respectable distance and never disturb the birds. Continue reading:Bald Eagles Return to Vancouver

Vancouver can be a real jungle sometimes, with bald eagles, coyotes, black bears and even whales making appearances in the city’s beaches, forests and backyards.

But perhaps our rowdiest (and smelliest) visitors from the wild kingdom are the California sea lions that take up residence on the Steveston jetty in Richmond each fall and stay until late spring.

There are still approximately 50 sea lions – all males – lounging on the jetty right now, according to a great article in the Vancouver Sun. Though they’re not visible from land, you can spot the gentle giants via boat or on an ecotour. They’re hard to miss, in fact, weighing in at more than 300 kilograms and measuring more than two meters.

A stunning reserve situated on 850 acres of coastal ponds and tidal marshes in nearby Delta, B.C., the Reifel Sanctuary is one of the most important stopovers for birds migrating along the Pacific Coast. Translation: Year-round, it’s chock-full of amazing wildlife, from majestic great blue herons to waist-high sandhill cranes, snow geese, owls and just about every kind of duck you could imagine.

Inside Vancouver is a multi-author blog, written by Vancouverites about Vancouver. Our goal is to give an insider’s view of Vancouver, to provide information, stories and opinions from the locals’ perspective about this great city.